Felix eyes expansion

CHESHIRE-based Felix Group is at last hoping to make its presence felt on the high street with its MAX BOX vending kiosks. The kiosks enable customers to withdraw cash, process digital photographs, order flowers, top up their mobile phones, download music, ringtones and games to their handsets.

CHESHIRE-based Felix Group is at last hoping to make its presence felt on the high street with its MAX BOX vending kiosks.

The kiosks enable customers to withdraw cash, process digital photographs, order flowers, top up their mobile phones, download music, ringtones and games to their handsets. Soon, consumers will be able to order hampers and e-books.

Felix Group has installed 120 machines in cinemas, pubs, military bases and petrol station forecourts and has now secured a deal with T-Mobile to trial them in 18 high street stores, including Manchester' Market Street.

Chief executive Andy Egan, a former stuntman, announced the move as he unveiled pre-tax losses of £5.4m for the year to May 31 on sales of just £81,000.

The group, based at Rostherne, was founded in 2002 and employs 30 staff. Felix floated on the stock market in 2004. It has a market capitalisation of around £19m.

Since the end of the financial year, Felix has raised equity funding of £4.15m and has started to generate more income. Many of its UK kiosks are close to breaking even and the business has cash in the bank, which it plans to use for more trials and other ventures.

Kiosks

Chairman Richard Rose, who has taken on an executive role, said the group had signed a licensing agreement with US group Kiosk Information Systems. The deal grants it the right to install Felix software on its own kiosks worldwide.

Felix has also secured a licensing deal with ABK Group, which provides leased laptops to university students and staff. A PC version of the MAX BOX will be incorporated into 1,600 laptops as a result. While acknowledging that deployment of kiosks into shops had been slower than anticipated, Mr Egan said Felix was well placed to grasp opportunities and had improved its product offering and service to customers.